|
A Charlotte, NC, lawyer purchased a box of very rare
and expensive cigars, then insured them against fire
among other things.
Within a month having smoked his entire stockpile of
these great cigars and without yet having made even
his first premium payment on the policy, the lawyer
filed claim against the insurance company.
In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost
"in a series of small fires." The insurance company
refused to pay, citing the obvious reason: that the
man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion.
Unbelievably, the lawyer sued ... and won!
In delivering the ruling the judge agreed with the
insurance company that the claim was frivolous.
The Judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held
a policy from the company in which it had warranted
that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed
that it would insure them against fire, without
defining what is considered to be "unacceptable
fire,"
and was obligated to pay the claim.
Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process,
the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid
$15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the rare cigars
lost in the "fires."
NOW FOR THE BEST PART...
After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance
company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!
With his own insurance claim and testimony from
the previous case being used against him, the
lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning
his insured property and was sentenced to 24
months in jail and a $24,000 fine.
This is a true story and was the 1st place winner
in the recent Criminal Lawyers Award Contest!
Isn't life ironic! ;-)
|